Saturday, September 07, 2013

Monet's Garden 7 am

Explore visually that is. We can not walk on the gravel paths that have barriers across them but just looking is enough

You flower experts would have a field day

The flowers change monthly, seasonally. Are cut back and replaced. The new head gardener, James Priest (still referred to as 'new' after two years) was gardener to the Rothschilds and Steve Jobs among other. He paints with plants in my opinion. Layering color on top of color, texture on top of texture and always changing the scale/size so your eye keeps moving, discovering new things. He has an artists eye and studies huge blowups on Monet's paintings daily as well as his original gardening books to intuitively understand how to communicate Monet's vision of the original gardens.

Some Art Colony attendees have plunged in and are painting every minute they can.

I'm still taking it in, not ready to work on site yet..

The morning light begins to change

The green houses in the back near the garden shed, once one of Monet's 4 studios

Someone is walking a cat ?!

These Silkies raise an awful racket crowing nonstop and bringing you down to earth with a thump.

The week before i painted some Silkies as a custom gift never having heard of them before.

I go back early sated with the richness of the gardens while the others stay on and paint till 8:55.

But breakfast starts at 8:30 and I mustn't miss any home-made jams. Everyone has their priorities. More Monet tomorrow.

17 comments:

I agree with You,I couldn't survive without breakfast...I gets up in the morning with the idea to eat something delicious with my cafe au lait.....in Paris were fresh baguette or tartine ,pan brioche ,chasson au pomme ...only after that I can start my day

Oh what a magnificent opportunity, Carol! I think that I would be overwhelmed by an initial view of this beauty and would, like you, need a bit of time to take in just where I was.

Please do post some more photos, of the gardens and ... of what you might have drawn or painted. So many greens, so much foliage variety, and then those spots of brilliant or soft other colors. Oh where to be begin. xo

Once, long ago, we rented an apartment in Paris that had working shutters. I loved the "ceremonial opening of the shutters" every morning! The gardens look so enchanting in the mist and the early morn.

More wonderfulness... Love the Chicken and Rooster painting. That cracks me up..walking the cat on a leash. I need to go thru this and read it a few more times to soak up all the wonderfulness here. If that's not a word I a making it one. :)

Beautiful pictures as usual. Just a side piece of triva about silkies seeing as you had only heard of them for the first last week.....even though they have pure white feathers, they all have black skin unlike the pale chickens you buy in the supermarket. But having said that, they are very delicious if you can get over the look of a black skin chicken. They are considered a delicacy in Asia as they are more expensive but also have a finer and more delicate meat than others. :-)

I love it that breakfast and homemade jams are still a priority even in Monet's Garden- as they should be! Your painting is so beautiful. The gardens lovely, it must be amazing spending so much time there. Literally treading in Monet's footsteps. Fascinating to know that the current caretakers of the garden are so passionate about their work too.

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♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5 and I'm still at it. Now I live by the Seine on l'Ile Saint-Louis. Do consider subscribing to my Paris letters and maps on Etsy and enjoy a taste of Paris in your mailbox every month to savor with a hot chocolate and croissant. I paint Paris dreams.